The present invention relates to vehicle suspension systems and pertains particularly to a tilting wheel suspension system.
Vehicle suspension systems particularly for automobiles and the like are typically designed as a compromise between stability of the vehicle and comfort of the passengers. The stability of a vehicle when negotiating turns depend on quite a number of factors, including the balance of the vehicle, the weight distribution, the stiffness of the suspension and other factors. The traction of the tires with the road surface, on a vehicle is also a major factor in the stability of the vehicle when negotiating turns. With the conventional suspension system, when a vehicle negotiates a turn, the wheels remain in a generally vertical position and also lean toward the outside of the turn, with the result that the tires tend to try to roll off the wheels. This act of rolling off the wheels tends to lift the tread of the tire on the inside of the turn from the road surface. This considerably reduces the traction and, therefore, the stability of the vehicle.
The vehicle itself also tends to roll about its longitudinal axis while in a turn. Various suspension systems have been devised in an attempt to overcome these problems of the prior art. One approach to improving the traction and stability of a vehicle is that of tilting the vehicle wheels into the turn. The tilting of the vehicle wheels into a turn results in the weight and force acting on the wheels tending to act on the load bearing or in the load bearing direction on the tires. This results in improved traction and support by the tires of the vehicle.
Various approaches to tilting the wheel or the vehicle have been proposed in the past. One of these approaches is as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,197 issued Oct. 11, 1966 to Jacques Jean-Marie Jules Gerin. This patent discloses a system to vary the relative position of the wheel with respect to the suspended system thus, tilting the entire vehicle body or chassis into the turn. Another approach to such system is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,274 issued Mar. 4, 1980 to Jerome Goldberg et al and entitled "Adjusting Automobile Suspension System". In this system, a complicated control system is disclosed which utilizes sophisticated controls for varying the tilt and camber of the respective wheels of the vehicle to some minor degree when in a turn.
It is desirable that a simple and inexpensive system for leaning the wheels of a vehicle into a turn for improved stability when negotiating turns be available.